Gamble And Huff

The O'Jays are singing a new tune in federal court, claiming that the fathers of the Philly Sound are "Back Stabbers. " In a suit filed Friday, the O'Jays, who scored massive R&B hits in the mid-1970s with "For the Love of Money," "Used to Be My Girl," and "Love Train," accuse Philadelphia International Records, producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and others of theft, larceny, and misappropriation of royalties. The suit demands $3 million for back payments and punitive damages.

Kenny Gamble is a realist. It's been nearly 30 years since his Philadelphia International Records was the major player for black music in America, when "I Love Music," "Me and Mrs. Jones" and "Bad Luck" tore up the charts. He and partner Leon Huff were the toast of soul, snatching the reins from Motown, adding swinging strings, a street-wise rhythm section, jazz riffs and artists who sang about more than just unrequited love. A special sound, a special time. Gamble knows this.

A South Philadelphia ironworker who admitted setting fire to the Center City studio of music legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff while in a drunken stupor was sentenced Friday to 1 1/2 to 10 years in prison. Christopher Cimini, 28, apologized and told Common Pleas Court Judge Glenn B. Bronson that he had no memory of breaking into Philadelphia International Records at Broad and Spruce Streets or of why he set the building ablaze. The fire caused $3.5 million in damage, destroying the studios where Gamble and Huff created "the Sound of Philadelphia" and recorded such artists as Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass.

FORMER Gamble and Huff recording artist Archie Bell, of Archie Bell and the Drells, claims that Philadelphia International Records is tightening up on his royalties and keeping everything outta sight. In a lawsuit filed recently in Texas federal court, Bell, a Houston resident, claims that he was "induced" into signing a contract with Gamble and Huff years ago. Bell doesn't detail how he was "induced," but he claims that after signing, the record company didn't give him all the royalties he was owed, according to the lawsuit, which was first reported by Courthouse News Service.

Who's backstabbing who? Last week, the O'Jays, the R&B group whose 1970s signature hits included "For the Love of Money," "Back Stabbers," and "I Love Music," sued Philadelphia International Records and its owners, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, accusing them of theft, larceny and misappropriation of royalties. Yesterday, Gamble and Huff said that they're the ones who are, in effect, being stabbed in the back. In a statement released by their public relations firm, Gamble and Huff responded to the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, in which O'Jays founders Eddie Levert Sr. and Walter Williams claim that the record company failed to comply with a 2006 court-ordered agreement to pay them royalties.

Wednesday at noon, Philadelphia immortalized a big part of its entertainment history. The 300 block of South Broad Street was renamed Gamble & Huff Walk, in honor of prolific hit-monsters and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame mainstays Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff , phounders of the Philly Sound. That block contains the Philadelphia International Records building, where G&H penned 3,000 tunes and produced hundreds of hits and lots of Number Ones and Grammy winners, including "Back Stabbers," the ubiquitous "Love Train," "If You Don't Know Me by Now," "Don't Leave Me This Way," "Only the Strong Survive," and "TSOP" (the Soul Train theme)

One day in 1963, a hustling young songwriter from South Philadelphia ran into a piano player from Camden coming out of the elevator in the Shubert Building on South Broad Street. Right away, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff hit it off, and the seeds of the Sound of Philadelphia were planted. "We were the only blacks going in and out of that building in those days," says Kenny Gamble, remembering a time when most of Philadelphia's music business offices were housed in the Shubert (now the Merriam Theater)

Long before they built Philadelphia International Records into the soul-music empire of the '70s, documented by the stunning and impassioned new three-CD box set The Philly Sound: Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff & the Story of Brotherly Love (1966-1976), before they wrote and produced a series of late-'60s hits for the Intruders, Jerry Butler and the O'Jays, Gamble and Huff were hustling Philadelphia musicians. Gamble, who came from South Philly, was a rhythm-and-blues singer and songwriter who fronted Kenny Gamble and the Romeos, the house band at Loretta's High-Hat in Lawnside, N.J. Huff, a South Camden native who met Gamble in the lobby of the Schubert Building (now the Merriam Theater)

HARD TO imagine a more natural link than the selling of Philadelphia and "The Sound of Philadelphia" as the legendary Gamble and Huff always billed their music. The city's Multicultural Affairs Congress has taken an idea whose time has come and turned it into an imaginative and comprehensive campaign. MAC is making the music of Philadelphia International Music moguls Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff a key element in its promotions to the convention planners it targets. Thanks largely to MAC, the city remains the site of choice for convention planners of multi-cultural conventions, expositions and family reunions.

One day in 1963, a hustling young songwriter from South Philadelphia ran into a piano player from Camden coming out of the elevator in the Shubert Building on South Broad Street. Right away, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff hit it off, and the seeds of the Sound of Philadelphia were planted. "We were the only blacks going in and out of that building in those days," says Kenny Gamble, remembering a time when most of Philadelphia's music business offices were housed in the Shubert (now the Merriam Theater)

ANOTHER YEAR! Can it really be We're about to start 2-0-1-3? We survived a Superstorm named Sandy , Renamed Obama Yankee Doodle Dandy. The Phils and Iggles let us down - So who's on first in our hometown? Happy New Year, Mayor Nutter , And every New Year Mummers strutter; You, too, Andy Reid , while you're still around, Chief Charles Ramsey (keep us safe and sound), Schools boss Bill Hite , please take a bow. Bart Blatstein (it's YOUR Tower now)

Who was that sweet lady passing out the Watchtower at 30th Street Station? And who would dare not take a copy from so earnest and charming a devotee of the faith? It was a devotion to the Jehovah's Witnesses that on many days led Ruby Gamble to hike from Stenton Avenue to City Hall with other witnesses, buttonholing passers-by and delivering their message of hope. Then she'd track down possible converts at the train station and other venues that might offer up interested people - or at least the curious.

"Lovely, gracious, fun, delightful. " That is how radio host Dyanna Williams remembered Whitney Houston on Sunday. Williams, an on-air personality for WRNB radio (100.3 FM), met Houston years ago at a function honoring the late singer's former husband, Bobby Brown. "Her impact is forever," Williams told The Inquirer. "She had some troubles in her life, but she set a pace and tone for male and female artists to follow. " Williams said WRNB suspended its regular programming in order to broadcast Houston songs for the entire day, and was taking calls from listeners who wanted to "express their pain and loss.

"Lovely, gracious, fun, delightful. " That is how radio host Dyanna Williams is remembering Whitney Houston today. Williams, an on-air personality for WRNB radio 100.3 FM, first met Houston years ago at a function honoring the late singer's former husband, Bobby Brown. "Her impact is forever," Williams told The Inquirer. "She had some troubles in her life, but she set a pace and tone for male and female artists to follow. " Williams said WRNB was suspending its regular show in order to broadcast Houston songs for the entire day, as well as taking calls from listeners who want to "express their pain and loss.

FORMER Gamble and Huff recording artist Archie Bell, of Archie Bell and the Drells, claims that Philadelphia International Records is tightening up on his royalties and keeping everything outta sight. In a lawsuit filed recently in Texas federal court, Bell, a Houston resident, claims that he was "induced" into signing a contract with Gamble and Huff years ago. Bell doesn't detail how he was "induced," but he claims that after signing, the record company didn't give him all the royalties he was owed, according to the lawsuit, which was first reported by Courthouse News Service.

The ad jingle "Nothing goes better with Phillies baseball than a Tastykake" will come true this season at Citizens Bank Park. Concessionaire Aramark says it will add five varieties to the lineup, as it is springing for countertop refrigerators to keep the mini-cakes' icing from melting during the heat of summer. Tasty Baking products haven't been regularly sold at Phillies games in years because of heat and humidity, a Tasty rep said. (You might recall eating Tandy Takes - the old name for Kandy Kakes - from wax-paper wrappers at Connie Mack Stadium in the 1960s.)

Gov. Corbett's proposed state budget might be cutting back in such areas as education, but it should help four major movies to shoot in Philly - two by M. Night Shyamalan and still hush-hush projects from Universal and Paramount - plus a bevy of indie films. Observers expressed pleasant surprise that Corbett this week offered $60 million in incentives to woo filmmakers who can employ local crews and spend money in the state. "We're overjoyed that [he] clearly understands that film tax credits generate jobs," said Sharon Pinkenson , executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.

Wednesday at noon, Philadelphia immortalized a big part of its entertainment history. The 300 block of South Broad Street was renamed Gamble & Huff Walk, in honor of prolific hit-monsters and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame mainstays Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff , phounders of the Philly Sound. That block contains the Philadelphia International Records building, where G&H penned 3,000 tunes and produced hundreds of hits and lots of Number Ones and Grammy winners, including "Back Stabbers," the ubiquitous "Love Train," "If You Don't Know Me by Now," "Don't Leave Me This Way," "Only the Strong Survive," and "TSOP" (the Soul Train theme)

A South Philadelphia ironworker who admitted setting fire to the Center City studio of music legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff while in a drunken stupor was sentenced Friday to 1 1/2 to 10 years in prison. Christopher Cimini, 28, apologized and told Common Pleas Court Judge Glenn B. Bronson that he had no memory of breaking into Philadelphia International Records at Broad and Spruce Streets or of why he set the building ablaze. The fire caused $3.5 million in damage, destroying the studios where Gamble and Huff created "the Sound of Philadelphia" and recorded such artists as Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass.

A South Philadelphia ironworker who admitted setting fire to the Center City studio of music legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff while in a drunken stupor was sentenced Friday to 1-1/2 to 10 years in prison. Christopher Cimini, 28, apologized and told Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Glenn B. Bronson that he had no memory of breaking into Philadelphia International Records at Broad and Spruce Streets, or why he set the building ablaze. The fire caused $3.5 million in damage, destroying the studios where Gamble and Huff created the "Sound of Philadelphia" and recorded such artists as Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass.